PIL filed to bring Sarasvati Mahal Library under national mission
A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete ordered notice to the authorities concerned while hearing the petition filed by B. Prabhakaran of Chennai. He said that the 500-year-old library holds immense historical, socio-cultural, and academic significance.
The petitioner said the library, also known as Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, was one of the oldest surviving libraries in Asia, established in the 16th century during the reign of the Nayak kings of Thanjavur. It was enriched by Maratha rulers, notably King Serfoji II, who was an eminent scholar and polyglot, he said.
However, the library, a historic repository of ancient knowledge, was languishing in a state of alarming neglect. Despite its rich legacy, the functioning of the library was severely affected by staff shortage, he said.
He said the library was languishing under severe administrative neglect, acute staff shortage, unimplemented digitisation programmes, and lack of preservation efforts by the government, leading to loss of valuable books and journals. Effective steps have not been taken to ensure the preservation or proper management of the library's invaluable records.
Sarasvati Mahal Library falls well within the purview of the National Mission on Libraries which was established under the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture exercises administrative supervision over several premier libraries, he said.
The petitioner said he had made a representation to the authorities concerned in this regard. However, the officials had not yet taken action. He sought a direction to the Centre and the State government to classify the library as a Model Library under the National Mission on Libraries and to take steps towards digitisation, conservation, and implement development schemes administered by the Ministry of Culture by sanctioning requisite grants-in-aid to undertake restoration measures and infrastructure upgrade within a time limit. The court adjourned the hearing by two weeks.
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